Statement of Alan Saltzman. Incumbent Chairman of MAC

By Alan Saltzman

Different people, in good faith, have different views of the public good. As an elected official, my view of the public good and my actions have been based on the following considerations and goals.

I want to see the Ojai Valley remain green, rural, and small-townish. Thus, I support the Land Conservancy, and the Ojai Green Coalition. I have voted against and discouraged chain stores from coming into the Ojai Valley.

I want to see the Ojai Valley aesthetically pleasing and beautiful. Thus, I have voted to authorize only those cell phone towers which are virtually invisible or hidden. I have supported and required businesses to install pleasing landscaping. I have voted against authorizing advertising signs which fail to strictly comply with the area plan for the Ojai Valley.

I want to see the Ojai Valley unpolluted both with respect to air quality, vehicle traffic, night light and excess noise.. Thus, I have encouraged the County Board of Supervisors to reduce gravel truck traffic in Ojai by standing up to mining operators in Ventura and Santa Barbara County. I have supported the efforts of the Ojai "Stop the Trucks" coalition which so far has done a fine job in doing so. On those occasions when Gravel Truck issues arose at MAC meetings the consensus was to defer to the "Stop the Trucks" coalition.

I want the Ojai Valley to be unpolluted by excess vehicle traffic. Thus I have voted against developments that will cause more car trips each day through Ojai. I am unhappy with the Planning Department's method of measuring how many car trips a proposed project will generate each day, as they always underestimate.

I want to see the Ojai Valley protective and safe for the most vulnerable among us. Thus, I fought for and achieved (along with hard work of others) numerous covered bus stops with benches along Highway 33. Before they were installed, it was not unusual to see a mother with children waiting for a bus and the children would be playing in the roadway in great danger.

I want the Ojai Valley to be a place of justice and fairness for all people. From time to time, we must balance local residents feelings of NIMBY ("not in my backyard") with the larger public good. Thus I voted for a halfway house for nonviolent teenage girls under the probation department's authority, even though some local residents were concerned.(Their concerns have not materialized). Also, I initiated and required the local head of the Ojai Police Department to attend a public meeting to explain and account for a local African-American resident being stopped, restrained and harassed based purely on his race.

I want to see the Ojai Valley as a hospitable and loving environment, where we welcome neighbors and strangers. Thus, I voted against the Ventura County Park department's attempt to convert 2/3rds of Foster Park into 21 rental RV park sites. Now, on many days, you can see hundreds of people picnicking and playing games in Foster Park.

Future plans for MAC: 1) As I am unhappy with the Planning Department's method of measuring how many car trips a proposed project will generate each day, it is my intention during the next term of office to seek correction of that deficiency.

2) I intend to research and investigate the law and procedures for setting up a MAC relationship with the Ventura County Grand Jury. Like MAC, the grand jury has wide discretion in investigating governmental deficiencies, but it has much more power (e.g., it can subpoena witnesses; MAC cannot). I would like to see MAC be able to trigger investigatory action by the Grand Jury on matters touching the Ojai Valley.

3) I intend to present to the Board of Supervisors a request for the planning department to have two additional enforcement officers. Currently there are only two for the whole County! The funds for the salaries could come out of other law enforcement agencies budgets, which are quite generous!

By way of background, I am a graduate of The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and of the UCLA Law School.

I am a disabled veteran.

In the 1960's I spent 2 years in Afghanistan and East Pakistan ( now Bangladesh) distributing health care, educational services and food, on behalf of CARE, the worldwide relief organization.

I wrote a well received newspaper column for 18 years for The Los Angeles Daily Journal, the largest Legal Newspaper in the United States.

I was a Deputy City Attorney for the city of Los Angeles. I retired to Ojai in 1994 after about 35 years of criminal law practice.

What you can do: Vote for Alan Saltzman, incumbent and chairman of the MAC, to continue in office!